There's No Place Like London

Some pictures (and stories) from Mick's and my adventures last week.

Mick had a 10 day business trip in London and, having just done one a month earlier, told me he could not do it again without me. So, for my birthday, he bought me a plane ticket to go with him. Because of the crazy year I've already had, I had 0, yep zero, vacation days left so I packed up my home office and brought it with me to the UK. 

We were there for the last 3 days of the Olympics (with no desire to try and attend any events, mind you) and while Mick spent most of that time at the office, I took the time to explore the neighborhood of Shoreditch and work out of a few different restaurants/cafes each day. The people watching was superb. 

On the last day of the Olympics, evening came and Mick was still working away (poor guy). I decided to catch a bus to a nearby park where the closing ceremony was being broadcast for free to the public. What I should have realized is that 'free to the public' means 'sleep over night to get a spot' and that casually strolling in 10 minutes AFTER the ceremony starts would not land me a place to watch. After being turned away by a nice police man who asked me if I was from Canada (Really?), I began to walk back to the Shoreditch area, figuring I will catch the ceremony (at least the Spice Girls part) at a bar near the hotel. A young boy saw my face (a bit disappointed at my failed mission) and exclaimed "Cheer up Darling! We got THIRD!". This is the point when I started to notice the excitement in the air. Team GB had placed 3rd in the Olympics and they were excited about it.  Just being there for that night and the energy in the air is something I won't soon forget.

Other cool things happened, like when we got to go see Sweeney Todd, I may or may not talk about them here in the future :). 

Here are the pictures I mentioned before I started rambling, and yes, nighttime was about the only time Mick and I got to see each other. 

Red Market

Kebabs at Red Market

This place is basically a playground for adults

Hoxton Square Park

It was only fitting that I try this beer. I was a Shoreditch blonde for the week :) 

At the Kebab Store

Just a series of pictures I pulled off of Mick's phone from a rather uneventful night in London. 

The Day I Turned 27

Folks, I turned 27 this week. Well, Monday, but I'm taking the whole week for this one. Partly because there is no way all of those cupcakes could be eaten in one day and, since I refuse to throw out anything of that caliber of deliciousness, it helps me justify a breakfast of cupcakes each morning.

I remember back when I was 21/22 telling myself "I'm soo not ready for marriage or babies or any of that yet. I think when I'm 27 I'll be ready." Way to go past me. Who do you think you are, making life plans for somebody you don't even know!? I think I'll pass that off to 29 year old me to think about. 

On to the good stuff. PARTY! How did I celebrate my 27th birthday, you ask? Not very excitingly, but I had  a wonderful time. It started with a cookie for breakfast (are you starting to sense a theme here?) and a long run by the bay. We even saw a sea lion out for his morning exercise (I don't actually know how sea lions exercise, but I assume the treading-water-like activity he was involved in at the time was how he keeps in shape). After work, Mick surprised me with seriously yummy cupcakes from the shop in Ghirardelli Square and some beautiful flowers and asked how I would like to spend the evening. Well I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but tip toed around it in an attempt to not sound totally boring. Once I came out with it, we grabbed our lawn chairs and walked down to my favorite spot by the bay for some people watching. Later we ordered pizza and ate it while falling asleep watching Doctor Who. That 21/22 year old I mentioned earlier would have thought it boring but, to present me, it was perfect :)